At the start of Women and Children First, I thought we were getting a mystery. I suppose there's a bit of that, but it's not the point. We readers learn about Lucy's death, but the focus is on how it affects several women. Some perspectives are stronger than others, but the best chapters are saved for the end.

3.75⭐️

Touching upon themes of social class and inequality, ambition, family, friendship, gender identity and sexuality, abuse, guilt and grief, I found Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski is an impressive debut novel.

The tragic death of a local teenager at a house party sends shockwaves through the small (fictional) town of Nashquitten, Massachusetts.

Structured in ten chapters ( each from a different character’s perspective) in total, divided into five “pre” and five “post” Lucy’s death, this is a slow-moving yet immersive character-driven novel. Among the voices we here from are : a sixteen-year-old who went to school with Lucy and worked with her cousin and was in a romantic relationship with a teacher; a guidance counselor who tries to do right by her students only to have her concerns dismissed by the school principal who is unaware or rather chooses to ignore the possibility that her own daughter might have been abused by an authority figure; the president of the PTA who hides her daughter’s misdeeds; Lucy’s best friend who was away when the tragedy occurred; Lucy’s schoolmate who witnessed the tragedy and is haunted by the events of that night; a young woman from an affluent family in the community who is the housemate of the school’s guidance counselor; and her childhood friend who witnessed Lucy’s father’s grief on the night of Lucy’s death; and Lucy’s mother for whom Lucy’s death was a turning point in her life in more ways than she had anticipated. Of the ten voices, not all were close to Lucy. However, in a small town, you know people who know people – there is a sense of interconnectedness despite the apparent disconnect – less than six degrees of separation. Those who knew Lucy personally grapple with their loss on a personal level - Lucy’s mother, her teachers, her friends and her peers struggling with grief, guilt, and regret while those who know of her are either compelled to draw parallels and take stock of their own lives or choose to remain indifferent beyond a certain point. We do get to know these characters intimately – their ambitions, their personal struggles, and their secrets. The characters are flawed and thus realistic and though you might question their actions and their reactions, the author gives us enough insight into the characters to attempt to understand them.

The powerful prose and the emotional depth with which each of these characters is explored renders this an impactful read. I will admit that I found the “post” chapters more impactful than the preceding section, which felt a tad disjointed. It should be noted that though the narrative revolves around the death of Lucy Anderson, she does not feature as a main character – yes, we can attempt to create a portrait from the fragments provided through the limited perspectives of our narrators and piece together the events that led to the tragic events on that fateful night, but the focus of this novel is the impact of tragedy on certain individuals, and the community, from the perspectives of its female members – women and children.

What keeps me from giving this novel a higher rating is the fact that the ending felt abrupt and left me with quite a few unanswered questions. However, this is an impactful read and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to Zando for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"Why do we assume there are certain things we aren't capable of? Like there's an invisible boundary all sane people are guaranteed to brush against? I have always felt capable of everything. I'm not sure what could stop me if I wanted something bad enough."

Ten lives in a decaying coastal town are shattered when a high school student dies under suspicious circumstances at a party. Lucy's friends, teachers, and family all try to piece together what really happened that night while trying to heal their own wounds.

This is one of those novels that's hard to believe is a debut. Grabowski has such a distinct voice and each of the chapters and girls/women in them left me wanting more. I wanted to bury myself in their lives, I wanted to peek into their closets and know everything about them. In my opinion that lead to a major drawback for me: I wanted more time with the characters. We do see them from the periphery as the book goes on, but I felt pretty jerked around between perspectives.

Once the stories start intertwining the book begins to shine. We see some of the same scenes play out in significantly different ways depending on who's narrating - a fascinating reminder that perhaps our reality is not 100% untouchable. This book is heavy with grief and anger and bad decisions, and its slow pace slogs it down at times. Overall though, an excellent exploration of how interconnected all our lives are, and how dependent we are on one another.

This was a really interesting book. I loved that there were multiple perspectives about the same situation. Initially, I found it a little confusing, but that was just me. It was well written and engaging. A pretty fast read due to the smoothly moving plot. Great book and I’d love to see more from this author!

I wish I could say that I loved this book, but sadly it fell a little flat for me. Told from 10 different points of view, some of the women’s stories were better than others and some I couldn’t figure out how they fit in with the whole story. Maybe if I had a hard copy of this novel, it would be easier to go back and reread some points of view to get a better understanding of what was going on. I didn’t feel like all of the voices were conjoined as much as I would have liked. Could have been better.

Preamble: I rarely say a book needs to be read twice mainly because who-has-the-time? (plus so many books), but Women and Children First deserves more than one read. The first to savor the prose and absorb the story, the second to note all of the nuances, clues, in other words, everything missed on the first read through, not to mention, keeping track of all of those characters.

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Women and Children First, the debut novel by Alina Grabowski, opens with high school student Jane dreaming that she has drowned but upon awakening thinks, you can’t die in your dreams, can you? A myth that by proximity also points to the title myth of women and children first (which evidently had limited truth in Victorian and Edwardian time) but also is a theme throughout the novel in which characters are metaphorically drowning and/or lost. As the novel explores the death of Jane’s classmate, Lucy, through ten different but interconnected narrations by teen and adult women in this small town, the reader sees how ironic the phrase women and children first is as even the peripheral action of men has consequence.

As the reader moves through these narrations, we get a picture of Lucy who was many things, excellent student, dreamer, artist, a girl who has a seizure and is now diagnosed as epileptic, a girl who thinks that life beyond the dying coastal Massachusetts’ town that will be under water in 75 years will be perfect. She dreams of perfect New York City.

These narrations also show us the lives around Lucy. How the same event, even miniscule, can be perceived differently by two characters. How people have depths hidden to us and we can only guess at who they really are. And how lost people are as they try to figure out what to do with their lives, even seemingly beyond the point when they should have had it mapped out.

I loved reading about these characters and exploring their lives and would have enjoyed reading about them for more pages and, yes, books. Even the prickly characters had depths that made them sympathetic or understandable. All of them, especially the tragic Lucy, proved that you never really know another person.

Grabowski’s prose was seemingly effortless. She provided information but never force-fed her readers, allowing us to pose and answer questions about the characters and Lucy, although, I’m pretty sure, hints were provided as to what happened to Lucy. Or at least they formed my reading.

If I had to say one negative thing about Women and Children First, it would be the number of characters. Although I read this book within a short time, I found myself often confused about who was who, even mixing up Charley, Lucy’s father and Rob Taylor, the teacher, when someone referred to Mr. Taylor (probably because I knew a Charlie Taylor!). And this would be an additional reason that I would like to read the book again and perhaps also a reason to read a hardcopy which might have made life aka following characters slightly easier.

When I finished Women and Children First, I immediately searched for more books by Grabowski, not realizing then that it was her debut. I will be looking forward to more by her. For anyone enjoying well-written, smart novels and character studies, this is highly recommended.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

Women and children first is a debut novel with a unique structure that won’t work for everyone. It is the story of a small New England town on the brink of decay when a young woman is murdered. The events of the murder and the days and months that follow are recounted through 10 interconnected women who narrate. They are the cross-section of the town and represent various ages, economic status, etc. the story is less about the murder itself and more about the town and the perspectives of these women who are in their own way are affected by the murder.

Don’t come into this expecting a traditional mystery/whodunit. It is the narrative structure and the voices of these women that drive the novel.

Keeping track of the 10 unique voices and tracing their views can be a challenging-especially on the kindle format. I would be interested in retrying this in audio format to see if it clicks with me that way. I think this is more a me problem than a problem with the actual writing/novel and I think this will be a worthwhile read for many people!

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book deals with similar subjects to my last read 'Day One' but unfortunatly I was not 'wowed' by this novel.
It is the story of ten women whose lives are connected to and forever changed by the death of a high school student Lucy.
The writing is quite confusing and takes some time to get used to. plus I really did not warm to any of the characters.
I found the story seemed far too slow and disjointed to really engage me and I am sorry to say I was unable to finish it.

This debut novel about the tragic death of a teenager in as small Massachusetts coastal town was actually a series of 10 vignettes by people who had knew her. The unique format, introduced these characters, and developed their issues - trauma, poverty, sadness, regrets, etc. via internal dialogues and descriptions of their connection with her. Each character's point of view was different but there was no resolution to the reason for this student's death - was it an accident, a murder, or suicide? The novel as a whole was too meandering and disjointed for me to care about their backstories and I felt that each one was damaged. I felt that the ending was too abrupt and it lacked closure for me.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I gave Women and Children First 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Net Galley and Zando Publishing for the ARC for this book. These opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading Women and Children First. It was a little confusing at first, as there are several characters and points of view. I felt like that made it hard to get into (and may cause some readers to put it down). But stick with it!

Around 30%-40% into the book, it starts getting unraveled and things start making much more sense. It was hard to develop a feel for each character because there wasn’t much time spent on each of them, but in the end, you find out that it was more about developing a feel for the overall premise and those “bit” characters were only necessary for the story to go forward.

Overall, a good read!

Alina Grabowski's novel, "Women and Children First," explores the lives of several women connected to a local student's death. While I admire Grabowski's ambition, I found the use of 10 different viewpoints overwhelming. Focusing on fewer characters would have allowed for a more cohesive and engaging story.
Additionally, I appreciate the emphasis on female characters. But, their portrayal often reinforced negative stereotypes and internalized misogyny. It made me enjoy the book less, as the dialogue and interactions felt overly harsh and unrealistic.
I felt disconnected due to the execution and portrayal of characters in "Women and Children First." So, I can't in good conscience recommend this one.

This book tore me up. I sympathize with all the towns people, as I grew up in a small town and learned at an early age that everything and everyone is connected. Including shared grief.
If you have lost a child, or sibling, I would take my time with this one and if you can't finish it than put it down because it is HEAVY reading but if you do make it all the way through (with tears in your eyes) you should feel the same way I do. That this novel is a 5 star read of complex feelings come at you from multiple points of view.
I know some readers who have issues with reading a novel with multiple points of view, but if you can keep track of everyone you will root for someone to have a have some happiness in Nashquitten.

Women and Children first is probably the best debut I've read in 2024 so far. Our setting is a small Massachusetts town that is rapidly decaying and then a young woman suspiciously dies at a house party. The community is shaking from both their loss of job stability and then this jarring event. Our story is really the story of ten women of this town that are affected, in some way, by these events. We get into the heads of these ten women as they experience the grief, loss, and attempts at solving the puzzle of what happened.

I loved this book. Not because of the mystery, but because of the way these ten lives were interconnected and the way the community's story was told. The bad reviews I've seen have said this was "disconnected", but I could not disagree more. Yes, we do move from POV to POV and yes, I sometimes wanted to stay with one woman longer than Grabowski allowed us, but this is very much a story of interconnectedness and her structure highlighted that brilliantly. I was gripped from the beginning and sad to leave the world created behind. This was so sharp and so beautiful.

Read if you liked Disappearing Earth or want to piece together a puzzle slowly, carefully, and with some bite and a lot of heart.

Step into the heart of a small Massachusetts town, where grief, love, and the unbreakable bonds between women intertwine in Alina Grabowski's captivating novel, "Women and Children First." When tragedy strikes at a house party, the lives of ten local women become intricately entwined as they navigate their own personal struggles and confront the weight of loss and longing.

Through alternating perspectives, Grabowski paints a vivid portrait of these women, each chapter offering a window into their innermost thoughts and emotions. From the grieving mother to the resilient teacher, from the betrayed friend to the mysterious confidante, every character adds layers of depth to the poignant narrative of community and connection.

With lyrical prose and raw honesty, Grabowski skillfully captures the essence of a town bound by history, secrets, and shared pain. As the story unfolds, readers are drawn into a powerful meditation on the fragility of life and the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

"Women and Children First" is more than just a novel—it's an immersive journey into the complexities of grief, love, and the ties that bind us together. With its beautifully crafted narrative and rich character development, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers, reminding us of the profound impact of tragedy and the transformative power of human connection.

Wow. I have a lot to say about this one.

I couldn’t put this down, seriously. I was invested in every single character and their memories, life, and emotions. This is a fantastic exploration of interconnectedness and the effects of death and grief. By using multiple perspectives, we get to see the same conversations replayed from different angles - it’s extremely fascinating and makes you think pretty hard about the importance of perception.

The truth is, there are so many small towns drowning in sorrow induced by natural disasters, crime, addiction, etc. There’s limitless pain, and it can make life feel like a storm that will never end. This story is hyper-realistic, and it left me feeling intensely lonely and melancholic. There is so, so much to love here. The “post” side of the novel is especially heartbreaking, and some of it was quite hard to stomach.

I hesitate to add what I didn’t like to this review because I really don’t want to take away from the positives of this book, but here we go. I was bothered by the author’s use of quotes; they were only there about half of the time when there was dialogue. Using “he said” or “she noted” makes it clear that the lines are spoken when quotation marks aren’t present, but it’s a pet peeve of mine. I think the idea is that the character memories don’t have quotes because they’re being replayed in thought, not out loud, but it reads strangely.

Other than that small complaint, I found the writing a bit odd at times. Some of the literary device usage felt weird to me, and because of that, the prose didn’t hit me in the poetic way that I feel it was supposed to. There were definitely awkward moments. In Jane’s chapter for example, the Dunkin’ Donuts scene feels quite clunky. Wet socks are mentioned way too many times and phrases such as “skin peeled like tape” or “slapped against my ankles like dead fish” are unconformable against otherwise wonderful writing. I will say, however, that the strange writing notably decreased with each chapter, which is interesting.

Overall though, the book is truly a triumph - a powerful experiment in style. It’s an easy recommend for me.

4.5.

Alina Grabowksi hit it out of the park with Women and Children First. My one wish is that I read this in a physical copy rather than electronically, so I could easily look back in the book.

Women and Children takes an event — the death of a student, Lucy, a student at a Nashquitten, Massachusetts high school. Lucy dies at a house party and this story line is threaded through the stories (each a chapter) of 10 women living in the town. There are other students, adults, Lucy’s mothers each have a voice in this coming-of-age story of loss and living in a decaying costal town.

At first, I wasn’t shore I would be able to stay into the narrative with 10 different voices — that’s a lot of perspective changing in one book. But, at three chapters in, it worked for me. Why? The women are so different that their voices are different even though some of them are the same age. This is a quiet impactful book that won’t be for everyone, but I loved it so much.

A really smart and compelling debut, perfect for fans of Otessa Moshfegh. Throughout the book, we examine the death of Lucy from the points of view of several women in her crumbling coastal home town.
The different narrators were, at first, confusing, so a more marked difference in voice would have been good but it soon went in and became seamless. A wonderful, character driven novel which takes on several themes. Beautifully written and full of absolutely stunning, lyrical passages, I think this will be one to watch this year!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: A well written debut novel about the death of a teenaged girl, Lucy, as experienced by multiple women who were connected to her. The many narrators did cause some confusion for me, but some of the voices--especially Layla the school counselor--were compelling and the many connections build throughout the book. Ultimately, the question of the truth and the impact are different for all of the narrators. A strong debut.

A chorus of ten diverse women — residents of Nashquitten, Massachusetts, a decaying coastal beach town that tourist season cannot resuscitate — address their lives in a claustrophobic small town that coalesce in the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of a young woman, Lucy Anderson, at a house party. Alina Grabowski unspools the story through artfully crafted vignettes told from each characters’ perspective. Layla is the interim counselor at the local high school. She has suspicions about the new math teacher, Rob, who seems to enjoy the attention of students “who make him feel valuable whereas women his own age do not.” But, Layla may be too sensitive because, as a high school student, she dropped out of soccer, a sport she had excelled in, when her coach started paying her “special attention.” Jane is an industrious student who works and tends to her mother’s mysterious ailments while enjoying thrills and risks. She is having a clandestine affair with the math teacher, but she seems unaffected by the inequitable relationship: “Everything with Rob is an experiment. I learn what I like and what I don’t. And I know that he, unlike the boys at school, won’t tell a single person.” Mona’s parents gifted her with the home where Layla is renting a room. Mona has been unsuccessful in her attempts to be accepted into a graduate program. When her co-worker, Marina, a teenager with aspirations to become a gynecologist shows up on the periphery of Mona’s yard, accompanied by a friend whose dress is spattered in blood, Mona takes no action.

Grabowski fully immerses the reader in each of the novel’s first-person sections so that the characters and their thwarted dreams are come alive. She addresses some powerful themes, including complicated mother-daughter relationships, grooming and sexual abuse, the misuse of social media, and the impact of status and wealth. Grabowski has created a deeply affecting and smart debut novel that explores how a seemingly tight-knit community can fall short. Thank you Zando Project and Net Galley for an advance copy of this fabulous read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This story is told by different women and teenagers, in vignettes. A high school student dies, and all the perspectives relate to this. As the book unfolds, you learn more about the circumstances of the death, although I'm not sure that I, even now, still clearly understand what happened. It's a very emotionally depressing book. There is no happiness here; every character is stuck in some way. If you like character-driven novels, you will enjoy this one.